Hi Sheila:
In defence of my original reason for doctoral entry, I do believe OTs need
to be better prepared to enter the field. (Although, I do see some PTs with
weak basic science skills as well and have met quite a few OTs with very
strong biomedical skills). For one, my school had all courses taught
together to the PTs and OTs (same class) except for courses on PT/OT in
Medical and Surgical conditions and ofcourse, clinical rotations. Why can't
we do that with our schools now?
My questions would be-
1. Do you think we can somehow fit these "extra" skills into the current
programs without expanding them? If yes, what are we going to eliminate/
reduce?
2. Should our undergraduate pre-requisites be more directed and structured
on basic sciences?
3. Why do you think OTs trail the curve on EBP? In your opinion, how do you
think this can change? Are we really trailing or our members are not
adequately informed?
4. From my sources, I have been told that notwithstanding the shortage of
PTs in most parts of the country, DPTs are being received fairly. We need to
find the "evidence" that correlates doctoral degrees with employment trends.
In my humble opinion, supply and demand is always conversely related. This
will logically favor the DPTs.
Please note that I do not intend to question your opinion or anyone else's.
I apologize to all, even if it remotely seems like it. I believe the
profession must go through these debates. I am glad it is happening in some
format even if it is small. Likewise, I do not believe that this should be
"because PT has it" but because "we need it". We need to improve ourselves.
I do believe that while the new grads can come out with a stronger
curriculum, old folks like me, though have earned our grey hair and have
learnt our stuff through the years (or, at least so we think), should have
"directed continuing education, ofcourse, not based on just theories but
evidence" toward professional development versus the ones we usually sleep
through or increase our vocabulary on OT jargon. I totally agree we need to
do more on EBP, in fact the Canadians and Australians are really doing some
great work on this front. I am hoping that in the future through f-cot, we
could talk more and possible have some guidelines for someone who wants to
learn more about it. For starters, some good EBP sites (pertinent to OT) -
http://www.cebm.utoronto.ca/syllabi/occ/
http://www.otseeker.com/
http://www.cebm.net/index.asp
http://www.pedro.fhs.usyd.edu.au/index.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=journals
Joe
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sheila Wilson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 3:11 PM
Subject: [OTlist] Re:DOT and direct access?
I am on the other side of the fence about the OT education going to the
doctoral level. There are so many OT's that come into the clinic without the
background they need at a Masters level.
Our PT counterparts graduate from programs that are very very strong in
anatomy, physiology, movement, and yes, their cirriculum even includes
vision, cognition, and ADL training. We as OT's are not always coming into
the clinic prepared with the education levels we currently have.
I am a huge advocate for my profession, I applaude OT for the jobs we do and
what changes we make in our patients lives. But sometimes we get ahead of
ourselves. In my humble opinion, we need to strengthen the cirriculum we
currently have by adding more anatomy, physiology, and practicle treatment
approaches so when you have an OT and a PT student in the clinic, their book
knowledge of the human body does not put them worlds apart.
EBP is what PT's do and OT's don't do enough. When was the last time you
documented what you did, how you did it and what outcomes in terms of
function were acheived? I am forever encourageing the OT's, and the PT's,
in my clinic to document and present. This year at the POTA confernce I am
proud that three staff OT's are presenting clinical application of our
everyday life! But how many do this? And how many back it up with research
and literature? We as a profession fall very short of our PT counterparts.
I do not think that a doctoral degree will better prepare a student for the
clinic or a professional career. I think that after practicing and then
returning to the classroom would make a stronger clinician at the doctoral
level. I know that some of the PT's coming out with the DPT have said that
they have a hard time finding jobs to support the student loans and some
have even said that they were thought to be over-qualified because of the
"D".
We don't need to "follow or get left behind". We need to make our own road,
forge ahead with what works for our profession and what works for what we do
and what we do well. We need to prepare entry level clinicians for a field
that is gettnig smaller by the minute with skills that help them think on
their feet and treat whatever comes in the door!
These are just my thoughts, rather long and winded...
Sheila
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